Motor lubricating system



Oct. 11, 1938. IS,ALVA WALTERS MOTOR LUBRICATING SYSTEM Filed April 26, 1937 /.s 9447a- Waite/.5.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1938 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUBRICATING SYSTEM v Is',Alva,Walters, San Diego, Calif; v 7 Application A riizcj, 1937, Serial No. 139,070

sonims. (01. 184-6) This invention relates to rotary machinery,

and especially to the means for lubricating same.

The chief object of the invention is to-lubri cate an engineor motor by applying air pressure to the lubricating means independently of the usual lubrication'pumpor the like.

Another object of the invention is lubricating system of this kind I this improved nature, will nonetheless not'be complex orcostly and can beapplied to an ordinary internal combustion engine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an internal combustion lubricating system which can be eitherbuilt in with the original engineer beeasily applied thereto after construction of the invention.

. The other objects, advantages and uses of the invention will be. made manifest as this specification proceeds l With these concepts,fobjects, and aims in con.- templatioh, the invention comprises the combinations, sub-combinations, elements and features shown in'theiaccompanying drawing, described in the following matter,and included within the scope of the sub-joined claims.

In the drawing:

.Fig. 1 is aside elevation. of an internal 'combustion engine incorporating. the construction of the present invention; l

Fig. 2 is a sectional Viewv on line- 2.--2: of Fig. I, and.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detaikof-one. of the importantparts. of theinvention.

The structure-shown in the drawing comprises an internal combustion engine], here shown: as of the automobile type, havinga compressed air reservoir 2 strapped to the'side of its crankcase, the reservoir having an outlet valve 3 springcontrolled by a coiled spring 4 and'manually operable by the tensile member; 5: ending in a handle -6: on thedash -board of the automobile. A hemicylinder or elongated enlargement I with an open side is secured by the flanged open side to the side of the crank case and has an air line 8 entering it from the valve 3.

Within the member I is located a cylinder 9 supported and anchored at one end by means of threaded engagement with the pipe 8 and near its center, supported rigidly and accurately by means of a cradle l0 carrying a strap H for firmly encircling and seizing the cylinder to the cradle in such manner that no reasonable amount of vibration will alter the direction of the center line of the cylinder.

The cylinder also bears an air outlet pipe l2.

to provide a which, tho of Within the cylinder a ries a plunger M which bears at its other end a valve member IS; "A piston, 13 is fixed from the piston I3is fitted and cardistal end of thecylinder and urged towards the air pipe end by means of a helical spring- [6 as shown; The distal-end of the cylinder bears ports H arranged on acircle around the end plate of the cylinder. V r

The reservoir bearsa vertically extending partition I 8, which carries a seat [9 for the valve [5. The valve head l5, due to the accuratecenteringand the rigid support of the cylinder, i s compelled to always accurately register with the seat [9 on occasion. The partition I8 bears an outlet opening into a compartment 21 having an inlet aperture 22 connected with the crank case 011- level for entrance thru the port 2ii'into thelargercompartment and thru the port-l1 into the cylinder 9;

Preferably substantially on the longitudinal center of the lower wall of the reservoir a small sump 23. is provided to depend-in adownward direction. At the entrance of the is provided a screen filter 2'4 and interiorly of the 25' sump. is provided a uni-directional valve 25 spring-held against aseat 26' and allowing egression only from that portion of thecyli-nder thru a pipe 2-1:, The pipe 21 pursues the path shown in Fig. hto the top of the engine-where a branch to an oil filter 29 is provided, the oil filter 29 having an outlet 30to the crank case oil level.. The main line 2'1 enters the regular lubricating system at the point 3|, as shown.

The device is' especially useful in priming the lubrication system. when the main body of the lubricant'happens to be viscid'and prone to clog the pipes, as on. a'cold morning or on high altitudes or due. to other circumstances. In any of these cases, by. the present invention the prev al-ent difficulty in securing pump lubrication on starting is overcome by pulling the-handle 6 leftwardly, whereupon the valve twillbe opened to inject compressed air into the cylinder 9, thus forcing the spring-urged piston I3 leitwardly and when itreaches the position shown by the dotted lines, it opens passageway thru the compressed air out thru pipe l2 into the larger compartment, at the same time closing the port 20 by means of the valve I5 accurately and firmly contacting its seat IS. The compressed air is ejaculated thru the pipe I2 above the level of the oil therein, and thus acts downwardly on the top surface of the entire body of oil in the larger compartment forcing some thru screen 24, whence, via pipe 21, it enters the lubricating passages of the engine and provides sufficient lubrication for starting. The oil may pass thru port 3| either into an oil sump or not, the impetus given by the compressed air impulse being usually sufficient to force it to all parts of the engine.

Any excess lubricant that may be forced in the pipe 21 will by-pass thru pipe 28, thru filter 29 and thence back into the oil sump at point 40.

Various refinements and ramifications of the structure shown are contemplated as within the present invention, and it is to be understood that the construction disclosed is merelyfor purposes of exemplification.

I claim:

1. In an internal combustion engine having a crank case serving as a reservoir for lubricating fluid and a force-feed lubricating system associated therewith including a line adapted to transfer lubricating fluid from said reservoir to other parts of the engine, means for facilitating and accelerating said transfer which comprises a chamber positioned adjacent said crank case, a partition in said chamber dividing same into a .first and a second compartment, said partition having an opening formed therein communicating with both of said compartments, said first compartment having an opening formed in the wall thereof communicating with said reservoir whereby lubricating fluid from said reservoir normally occupies without filling, both of said compartments, said second compartment having an opening formed therein communicating with said lubricating fluid transfer line whereby fluid can pass from said reservoir through said compartments to said line, a compressed air reservoir, a line communicating with said compressed air reservoir and said second chamber, valve means for controlling flow of compressed air in said line, and means for simultaneously closing said opening in said partition and directly admitting compressed air to said second chamber whereby lubricating fluid is forced from said compartment into said lubricating fluid transfer line.-

2. In an internal combustion crank case serving as a reservoir for lubricating fluid and a force-feed lubricating system associated therewith including a line adapted to transfer lubricating fluid from said reservoir to other parts of the engine, means for facilitating and accelerating said transfer which comprises a chamber positioned adjacent said crank case, a partitionin said chamber dividing same into a first and a second compartment, said partition having an opening formed therein cornmunicating with both of said compartments, said first compartment having an opening formed in the wall thereof communicating with said reservoir whereby lubricating fluid from said reservoir normally occupies without filling, both of said compartments, said second compartment having an opening formed therein communicating with said lubricating fluid transfer line whereby fluid engine having a can pass from said reservoir through said compartments to said line, a compressed air reservoir, a line communicating with said compressed air reservoir and said second chamber, valve means for controlling flow of compressed air in said line, and means for simultaneously closing said opening in said partition and directly admitting compressed air to said second chamber whereby lubricating fluid is forced from said compartment into said lubricating fluid transfer line, said means being controlled and actuated by opening of said valve means in saidcompressed air line.

3. In an internal combustion engine having a crank case serving as a reservoir for lubricating fluid 'anda force-feed lubricating system associated therewith including a line adapted to transfer lubricating fluid from said reservoir to other partsof the engine, means for facilitating and accelerating said transfer which comprises a chamber positioned adjacent said crank case, a partition in said chamber dividing same into a first and a'second compartment, said partition having an opening formed therein communicating with both of said compartments, said first compartment having an opening formed in the wall thereof communicating with said reservoir whereby lubricating fluid from said reservoir normally occupies without filling, both of said compartments, said second compartment having an opening formed therein communicating with said lubricating fluid transfer line whereby fluid can pass from said reservoir through said compartment to said line, a substantially cylindrical member, closed at one end and mounted within said second compartment, a compressed air reservoir, a gas transfer line communicating with said air reservoir and the :closed end of said cylindrical member, a spring-pressed, normally closed valve interposed in said gas line adapted to control flow of gas therethrough, a springpressed piston, slidably mounted in said cylindrical member, normally positioned adjacent the closed end thereof, a valve closure member carried on and actuated by movement of said piston, a valve seat mounted on said partition coincident with the opening formed therein, cooperating with said valve closure, said closure during operation being seated only when said piston is moved from normal position by admission of compressed air into said cylindrical member, a compressed air outlet from said cylindrical member comprising an opening formed in a wall of said member normally obstructed'by said piston but opened simultaneously with seating ofsaid closure, and a line leading from said opening to an upper part of said compartment above the lubricating fluid level therein, whereby when said closure is seated, compressed air forces lubricating fluid from said compartment into said lubricating fluid transfer line. 5

IS,ALVA WALTERS. 

